The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)

Episode: Day 228: Blessings, Sacramentals and Popular Piety (2025)
Date: August 16, 2025
Podcast Host: Fr. Mike Schmitz
Covered Catechism Paragraphs: 1667–1679

Episode Overview

In this episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz explores the Catechism’s teaching on sacramentals, blessings, and popular piety—elements that, while distinct from the sacraments themselves, deeply shape and color Catholic life. After having journeyed through all the sacraments in previous episodes, Fr. Mike discusses how these “other liturgical celebrations” sanctify daily moments and bridge the gap between the sacred and everyday living. He underscores the difference between sacraments and sacramentals, the significance of blessings, the function of exorcisms, and the value and limits of popular devotions within Catholicism.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Sacramentals: Definition and Purpose

• Catechism Reading & Clarification:

  • Sacramentals are sacred signs instituted by the Church (not by Christ like the sacraments), which bear a resemblance to the sacraments. (04:24)
  • They signify spiritual effects obtained through the intercession of the Church and dispose believers to receive the chief effects of the sacraments. (05:37)

• Fr. Mike’s Explanation:

  • "Keep in mind for all of us as we move forward: they dispose us to receive the chief effects of the sacraments." (08:30)
  • Sacramentals also “sanctify moments in our lives”—they set apart ordinary experiences for spiritual purposes.

• Examples of Sacramentals:

  • Laying on of hands, sign of the cross, sprinkling of holy water—especially when entering or leaving church, recalling baptism and participation in the baptismal priesthood. (09:18)

2. Blessings: The Chief Sacramental

• Role and Significance:

  • Blessings of people, meals, objects, and places are considered the most important forms of sacramentals.
  • "Catholics bless everything: the earth, rivers, homes, the rain... Bless the rains down in Africa!" (11:59)
  • Blessings set things apart for a sacred purpose: "When something is blessed, it’s made holy... not just removed from the world, but set apart for a purpose." (13:22)
  • The act of blessing invokes the name of Jesus and often includes making the sign of the cross.

• Who Can Bless?

  • Every baptized person is called to be a blessing and to bless, but the more a blessing concerns ecclesial/sacramental life, the more it’s reserved to ordained ministers. (10:45)

• Memorable Explanation:

  • "You have a cross on a chain… the moment it gets blessed, it’s now set apart for a purpose. It’s no longer jewelry." (14:10)

3. Consecrations and Exorcism

• Consecrations:

  • Not all blessings are sacramental ordinations; examples include the blessing of abbots/abbesses, consecration of virgins or widows, blessing of objects, churches, altars, oils, etc. (16:24)

• Exorcism:

  • Public, authoritative prayer asking for protection against or liberation from the Evil One is called exorcism.
  • Two forms: Simple (minor) exorcism (often part of baptism) and major exorcism (requires a priest with the bishop’s permission).
  • Key distinction: "Illness, especially psychological illness, is a very different matter. Treating this is the concern of medical science." (18:45)
  • Thorough discernment is required; a psychological evaluation must precede any consideration of exorcism. (19:30)

4. Popular Piety and Devotions

• Forms and Value:

  • Includes veneration of relics, visiting sanctuaries, pilgrimages, processions, Stations of the Cross, Rosary, medals, Chaplet of Divine Mercy, etc. (21:05)
  • These “extend the liturgical life of the Church but do not replace it.”
  • “They should harmonize with the liturgical seasons, accord with Sacred Liturgy, derive from it, and lead people to it.” (21:46)

• Role in the Christian Life:

  • Popular piety is “a storehouse of values that offers answers of Christian wisdom to the great questions of life.”
  • It provides Christian humanism—combining divine and human, faith and reason, emotion and intellect.

• Limits and Proper Placement:

  • Liturgy is “far superior” to any other expressions of popular piety.

  • "The Rosary is an incredible, powerful weapon… but the liturgy itself is by its very nature far superior to any of them." (23:51)

  • Illustrative Anecdote:

    • Earlier misuse: Catholics praying the Rosary during Mass rather than participating in the liturgy. "We’re not called to just watch the priest pray, but to participate, to exercise our baptismal priesthood." (22:30)

• Memorable Analogy:

  • “It’s almost like when Jesus says, 'Anyone who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me…' He’s not insulting parents, he’s being elevated to more love. Similarly, I’m not insulting the Rosary… I just want to exalt and elevate the role of the liturgy even more.” (25:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On sacraments vs. sacramentals:
  “Sacraments are sacred signs instituted by Christ that give grace. Sacramentals are instituted by the Church... They signify effects, particularly spiritual effects, which are obtained through the intercession of the Church.”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz (06:30)

• On blessing and setting apart:
  “When we bless something, we’re setting it apart for a purpose... To be holy is to be set apart—not just removed from the world, but set apart for a purpose.”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz (13:22)

• On the hierarchy between liturgy and popular devotions:
  “The liturgy, by its very nature, is far superior to any of the other expressions of popular piety... The Rosary is incredible. The Chaplet of Divine Mercy—amazing. Station of the Cross—yes, all those are great. But the liturgy itself is by its very nature is far superior to any of them.”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz (23:51)

• On integrating devotion with liturgy:
  "We're not called to just watch the priest pray, but to participate, to exercise our baptismal priesthood, our kingdom priesthood, by uniting our hearts with what's happening at the altar."
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz (22:30)

• Fun Music Trivia:
  "You might know the song ‘Africa’ by Toto... The story goes, the line 'I bless the rains down in Africa' comes from Catholic missionaries who literally blessed everything in Africa— the rain, the rivers, their homes…"
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz (11:59)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 04:24 — Introduction to sacramentals: definition and distinction from sacraments
• 08:30 — The purpose of sacramentals: preparation for receiving sacramental grace
• 09:18 — Practical examples: holy water, sign of the cross, laying on of hands
• 10:45 — Who can give blessings? Lay and ordained roles
• 11:59 — Story behind "Bless the rains down in Africa"
• 13:22 — What does blessing do? Setting apart and purpose
• 16:24 — Examples of consecrations and non-sacramental blessings
• 17:45 — Exorcism: minor and major, spiritual vs. psychological illness
• 21:05 — Forms of popular piety and their connection to liturgy
• 22:30 — Proper participation in the liturgy vs. devotions during Mass
• 23:51 — Fr. Mike on the superiority of liturgy to all devotions
• 25:00 — Analogy with Jesus’ call to love him “more”

Flow and Tone

Fr. Mike speaks with warmth, clarity, and a pastor’s heart, aiming to both inform and encourage. The tone is engaging—occasionally lighthearted (as with the Toto anecdote)—but always reverent toward the mysteries and traditions of faith. His message consistently advocates for both respect for tradition and the proper ordering of devotions, always returning to the primacy of the Church’s liturgical life.

In Summary

This episode presents a clear, accessible tour through the Church’s teaching on sacramentals, blessings, and popular piety. Fr. Mike characterizes sacramentals as sacred signs instituted by the Church to prepare believers for sacramental grace and sanctify everyday life. He stresses both the importance and the subordinate role of devotions and popular piety compared to the liturgy, encapsulating the Catechism’s nuanced approach: to foster what enriches and purify what distracts, always keeping Christ and the liturgical life at the center.